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Let's answer your side question. What does 'gender' mean and how is that word used, and does it apply to marriage?

Yes let's. See the below excerpt from your post.

Usage Note:

Traditionally, gender has been used primarily to refer to the grammatical categories of "masculine," "feminine," and "neuter," but in recent years the word has become well established in its use to refer to sex-based categories, as in phrases such as gender gap and the politics of gender. This usage is supported by the practice of many anthropologists, who reserve sex for reference to biological categories, while using gender to refer to social or cultural categories. According to this rule, one would say The effectiveness of the medication appears to depend on the sex (not gender) of the patient, but In peasant societies, gender (not sex) roles are likely to be more clearly defined.

Based on the usage note it is more proper to use 'persons of opposite gender' when referring to marriage as a social contract.

Hope that enlightens you!

Now remember back to what the main point of my posting was..... WORDS HAVE MEANING. If we let the liberals define the words they will win the discussion. We have to maintain control of the terms of debate.

You have provided me an excellent example of losing control of the language.

Prior to redefining "gender" to apply to people, there was no possible way to advance homosexual marriage. Marriage was one man and one woman. "Sex" is genetically determined and immutable. Once a man, always a man.

Gender however can change with the wind. Some of us (not me obviously) allowed "gender" to be applied to people and those who have allowed this have lost control of the discussion. How can you block perverts from marrying if you cannot restrict marriage to a union between the opposite sexes. You cannot.

We lost control of the terms and are losing the debate (Because in the greater public's mind "gender" can now be applied to people.)

So we are back to WORDS HAVE MEANING. Notice that as I excerpted your post I did not edit it. I changed nothing.

Excerpt is not edit. Edit is not excerpt.